Building a financially secure future for our children is a marathon, not a sprint. As parents, it is our most important financial responsibility after our own retirement planning. The aim is to avoid being a financial burden on our children. But even better to help our children develop responsible financial habits to secure their own future as early as possible.

There are many good wealth-building lessons. But the common learning point is to start early. So why not start early and involve our kids in preparing for their own future? While children don’t have any income, they can be taught life-long lessons about saving early and reducing unnecessary spending, for example on toys.

As parents, we have our many experiences of our children asking for new toys, and more toys. Yet, by sharing with our children the concept of money – and the differences between spending, saving and sharing, they will understand the financial trade-offs and consequences.

How can we introduce the concept of money and the trade-offs between spending, saving and sharing?

Let’s start with two useful tools.

First, the lesson content that explains money in an interesting yet simple way for kids to understand and recall.

Second, the platform where children put what they learn into practice. Many children can do this via bank savings. Given that our kids grow in a globalised world, why not an investment account to teach them about investing for the future?

I’d like to introduce two interesting lesson content and platform tools, namely the KidSave global investment account and Squirrel Treehouse. Both are innovative services offered by SquirrelSave, a global AI-driven investment service.

What is SquirrelSave

SquirrelSave is a fully AI-driven digital investment manager regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. As part of SquirrelSave’s continuing innovation for positive social impact, SquirrelSave launched its “Squirrel Treehouse” and “KidSave” this mid-November 2019 to facilitate parents who want to teach their children about long-term saving risks and returns.

Squirrel Treehouse, the learning platform

Squirrel Treehouse is a tool for parents to talk about money and cover financial basics such as saving, spending and sharing. There are interactive activity-based stories that allow parents to discuss financial concepts and values with their children using simple yet relatable examples.

The first instalment of Squirrel Treehouse features three themes based on the cute Acorn Squirrel Family character set — Mama, Dada, Sasa, Momo and Gigi.

Mama is the ever-sensible mother while Dada is the responsible father. The Acorn children have different money habits – Sasa is the “saver”, Momo the “spender” and Gigi the “giver”.

The inaugural themes in Squirrel Treehouse are:

1. Counting Money

2. Needs Versus Wants

3. Saving, Spending, Sharing

Fun features include digital avatar tools for children to enjoy creative mix and match versions of each Acorn Squirrel Family characters.

Acorn rewards are awarded via online quizzes and activities. The Acorn rewards can be redeemed for various merchandise such as lanyards, plastic Acorn coin sets and Acorn Family character stickers.

KidSave, the real-life application

With KidSave, parents can now set up an investment goal for each child below 18 years old in SquirrelSave. Parents decide the risk profile setting for the KidSave goal. Better still, engage in discussions with your child. The risk profile is important for our SquirrelSave AI algorithms to understand how much risk you or your child is willing to take for the investment portfolio.

It’s crucial to know and use the right risk profile for your investment portfolio. We need to remember that high returns portfolio carries a high risk, and low returns portfolio carries a low risk. The risk here means the probability of losing when the market turns bad, and by how much. There’s no right or wrong about our risk profile, it’s just what we’re comfortable with.

A handy tool is our innovative SquirrelSave Risk Profiler which does not use any complicated terms and technical jargon. When you play our SquirrelSave Risk Profiler game, our algorithms will assess your risk-reward behaviour based on the decisions made in a game with penalties and rewards. It will be a good way to introduce the concepts of risk and return to our children.

Why investing for your kids now?

As we all know, a longer time horizon will smooth out market volatility. Our children have a longer time horizon than us adults. Yet, few children have a diversified global investment account.

Most parents park their children’s savings in traditional bank accounts — it’s only giving us a meagre interest rate. Now we offer KidSave as a way to introduce our children to the globalised world of investments. The risk setting is set by you and our machine learning AI will never forget you, working 24/7 on your personal investment portfolio, whether you invest $1 or $1 million.

At SquirrelSave, we don’t need any investment knowledge or any decisions. Simply set our risk profile and the AI will design and manage a personalised globally diversified investment portfolio using dynamic asset allocation and in real-time.

What’s best, there’s no minimum investment amount! We can get a global investment portfolio even for just one dollar! This is a good start for small investors, even for children — with our supervision and guidance, of course.

Come and discover the world of Smart Investing for Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime!

*This guest post is brought to you by SquirrelSave*

The post KidSave + Squirrel Treehouse — Invest for and with your kids & teach them about money in a fun way appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

Hello! It’s been a looooong while. I know I owe some of you recipes so I am trying to clear my back log ok! Today I’m sharing a simple dry 刀削面 Knife Shaved Noodles recipe, made Chilli Pan Mee style.

I LOVE 刀削面 dao xiao mian because it’s qq and not as heavy as ban mian. It’s great in steamboat too. I got mine in Sheng Siong but I think I’ve seen it around in Fairprice.

For the crispy prawn chilli, I use this brand also from SS. It’s not that spicy even though it looks fiery. You can add chilli padi if you wish if you need more heat. The shallot oil I use is also ready-made. See what I mean when I say this is a simple recipe? Hahaha. Of course, home made shallot oil is the best but for the time-strapped cook, this is not bad too.

The recipe looks long but it’s because there are so many toppings. Whatever you do, don’t skip the braised minced meat and ikan bilis (and ikan bilis oil). Prawns, spring onions and vegetables are optional but nice to have.

Cbb took a mouthful (hers was without the crispy chilli) and kept exclaiming “it’s so nice, mama!” I hope your little one and your family love it too!

The post 刀削面 Shaved Noodles “Chilli Pan Mee” Style appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

Begedil is a malay snack that I grew up eating and absolutely love. What’s not to love about deep fried potato patties? This kid-friendly recipe is air fried so way healthier, and has minced meat added in. If I had some corn kernels I would have added them too.

I swear by my Philips XXL Airfryer. See why: https://www.budgetpantry.com/5-reasons-why-i-love-the-new-philips-airfryer-xxl/

My 4-yo helped me prepare the potatoes:

And she helped me mash mash everything together too:

Here’s the simple recipe. I hope you and your kid love it too!

The post Kid-friendly Air Fried Begedil (Potato Patties) appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

Baking is an activity we would ALL love to do with our kids (and they too, with us), but God, I *hate* the washing up. I know you’re like me, so here comes a recipe that only uses ONE bowl, a couple of spoons and a whisk/fork. No mixer required. No kidding!! Have fun with it!

Click here for more easy kids/baby food ideas: https://www.budgetpantry.com/category/baby-food/

The post Activity with Kids: One-bowl Chocolate Chip Cookies appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

One of cbb’s best food memories in Taiwan was the 白萝卜排骨汤 at Wang Ji Fu Cheng Rou Zong (王記府城肉粽). And one of mine is HER SPILLING THE ENTIRE BOWL OF HOT SOUP ON THE TABLE and we had to sheepishly clean up and order another.

Ever since that Taiwan trip, she has been bugging me to make this soup whenever she feels like having something light, tasty and sweet. And that’s what this soup is. I like adding spaghetti to this (no really, one of my fav dishes is spaghetti in clear soup) and Cbb likes hers with macaroni. Or you could always have it alongside a bowl of steaming hot rice. I hope you like this soup as much as we do!

The post White Radish Pork Rib Soup 白萝卜排骨汤 appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

Two weeks ago, I shared a post on Facebook about feeding my 9-month-old. So many moms have reached out to say NOW they don’t feel so guilty about not cooking for their babies from scratch, or not spending hours on making stock for porridge every day. And to me this is exactly what I hope my posts and blog articles can do for all of us: TAKE AWAY THE MOM GUILT.

Thank you for telling me this was what you really needed to read. If you’ve missed it, here’s the original post.

And now I have included a quick summary of the post, and added a few more tips on how to keep sane while making sure my baby still gets all the good stuff in him as much as possible. As a second-time mom, I have learnt a lot from my past experiences. I now find it possible – and more time-efficient – to do away with many things I used to do before, like steaming and blending baby food in a blender and freezing them in ice cube trays in advance. I don’t do these now, but if it works for you, why not?

I no longer use an electric blender, but I do find a manual baby food masher handy.

Top tips for feeding your baby:

• I don’t bother with stock. To cook porridge, simply scoop rice in a pot, add water and veg & meat and simmer till soft. Mash with a the back of a spoon (or use a manual baby food masher) to the consistency suitable for your baby. Of course, if you have some home made stock on hand, use it in place of water.
• Don’t make feeding your baby a chore for you. It shouldn’t be so hard! I just ensure there’s a carb, a protein, a fibre in each meal. Ok, sometimes, in at least one meal.
• Vegetables: fresh or frozen – doesn’t matter. I stock up on frozen carrots, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, squash and corn often. Sometimes they’re even better than the ‘fresh’ versions as they’re quick frozen (and nutrients preserved!) from source.
• Play around with different textures. If your baby rejects the peas today, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t like it. Try adding more liquid, or some breast milk or formula milk to alter the consistency. Sometimes, a familiar taste in the form of milk may make him more ready to accept new foods.
• Don’t fret if your baby hates that expensive fish that is supposed to be super good for him. Give an alternative protein – some other types of meat, a milder fish, eggs, or even beans?
• Stop trying to be ‘perfect’. Everyone has crazy days. Your baby will survive for one meal without having all the nutrients from the 3 food groups. On busy days where I just make it in time to cook dinner, I open a yummy baby food pouch and that’s it! Lots of goodies in those, too! There’s no need to feel any guilt over this.
• Try and reduce the number of appliances involved in making meals for your baby. I feel this is really important. Instead of setting up multiple contraptions and washing up the blender blades, jar, cover, etc and putting away the base, wires and more things, now I just use a pot and stove. Or airfry that fish in the nifty baking pan of my Philips Airfryer for easy clean up.
• Which brings me to my next point. You don’t need to make SPECIAL FOOD for your baby. The style or texture can be different, but the core ingredient should be the same as what the rest of your family eats. If we’re eating salmon today, my baby’s eating salmon today. If we’re having peppers and roasted potatoes with that salmon, my baby’s having the same – just in a softer texture suitable for him. Then what happens if I want to eat mala hot pot? It’s obvious my baby can’t eat it right? Yes, but what you can do is fry all the vegetables first, scoop up a portion for your baby, THEN add the mala spices. Problem solved.

So that’s it for now, I think!

I will update again if I think of something else that will make ALL our lives easier. Have fun exploring the many ways you can make eating fun for your little one!

The post Staying sane when introducing solids to your baby appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

I have been majorly neglecting my hair – thanks to a new baby and the fact that I have been working from home since my maternity leave ended in February. The new baby, by the way, isn’t so new anymore – he will be ONE next month! Where has the time gone? I guess I was wrong to think that working from home gives me a free pass to ignore my tresses because I don’t go out often anyway, but I forgot that my unruly locks, messy fringe (or what used to be a fringe) and faded highlights (and black roots) are revealing themselves in all their glory to my team in the daily video calls for work.

In a bid to refresh my look and get some down time, I was googling for salon recommendations and came across YOON, a salon with years of experience in Singapore helping customers combat their hair styling woes. The reviews look good, with many saying that the stylists are knowledgeable and experienced, and they were able to recommend the most appropriate and tailor-made services for them depending on their needs. I think that’s very important because sometimes what we need is a professional’s opinion. In other cases, sometimes we just need that little push from an expert to try something new! I noticed that the salon’s three outlets are pretty accessible too in Orchard, Queenstown and Chinatown.

Types Of Services Available at YOON Salon

Browsing the website, it isn’t difficult to see why everybody is recommending YOON. Their range of services are super extensive and include cut and blow, highlighting, colouring, perming, rebonding, and a range of specialised scalp and hair treatments. One thing I was surprised by was that they even specify that they cut for kids! Take a look at their variety of services – there’s bound to be one right for you:

Premium Creative Hair Shaping: Volume S-Curl and C-Curl Rebonding

I’m in desperate need of a cut but I’m also curious about their Volume S-Curl and C-Curl rebonding services. Volume rebonding is a really popular Korean treatment technique that combines the effects of rebonding + perm in one! Although I am a full-time working mum of two, I am still in tune with the latest trends ok, just that I haven’t had time to actually go do it. This Korean technique smooths your tresses without making them look unnaturally straight while introducing soft curls and volume at places you need it most. According to the website, the popular Volume S-Curl and C-Curl rebonding treatments help you achieve soft and natural-looking curls, and your mane will look more voluminous and become easier to manage and style after the session. Sounds like something that is right for me! I’ve never had any kind of perming or curling done before in my life. Maybe I’m finally ready to have natural-looking soft curls that don’t look over the top?

Premium Hair Treatment

Their treatment sessions seem to be waving at me too because although my hair is straight, it is dry and coarse in certain places and can be really difficult to manage. Most of the time it feels heavy and dull, and I feel that the frequent washing recently (two times a day at least – due to hygiene purposes I wash my hair whenever I return home after an errand or after dropping/picking up my girl from child care) has further affected the condition and quality in some way or another. I think it’s time for a treatment – I always walk out from a salon with much softer locks and greater confidence after a session! I’m looking forward to taming down the frizz, strengthening my roots and regaining strong, silky locks. They have listed five different types of treatment that they provide to restore your crowning glory to health, and frankly, I’m spoilt for choice! That being said, their Gloss Treatment sounds especially interesting to me and I think it would be extremely suitable for long hair like mine that goes past the shoulder blade. Can’t wait to try!

What Others Are Saying About YOON Salon

Having a dedicated and experienced team matters, and it shows in the salon’s customer reviews and testimonials:

YOON Salon Outlets & Opening Hours

Their outlets are open every day from 11am – 9pm (including Public Holidays!) so it’s really great for mummies like me who can only get out for some me-time when the husband is around, and that is during weekends and public holidays. To make your appointment, give the respective outlets a call or submit the form on their website or someone to get back to you.

• Midpoint Orchard:220 Orchard Road, #01-02, Midpoint Orchard, Singapore 238852
  (Tel: 6235 3816)
• Queensway Shopping Centre: 1 Queensway, #02-29, Singapore 149053
  (Tel: 6261 0913)
• Havelock II (Chinatown): 2 Havelock Road, #01-04, Havelock II, Singapore 059763
  (Tel: 6223 0224)

Being a mum to me means putting my kids first in every aspect of my life– so much so that I sometimes forget not only am I ‘Mummy’, I am Chris too. I haven’t had a proper hairstyling session done in a long time ($10 quick fringe cut at the shop across the road doesn’t count), and it’s important for mums to also spend time on ourselves, don’t you agree? :)

If you are a first-time customer too, don’t miss your chance to get a $28 trial that can be redeemed on their website. To get the trial, just click on the ‘Redeem‘ button on the top right corner, submit a form and a service staff will get back to you. This is a great way to try out or switch to a new salon because we all know it can be a little painful on the pocket when you spend to pamper yourself, only to end up with a look that is totally not you. With all that’s going on in the world, now’s truly the best time to try. Go!

This article was brought to you by YOON.

The post [Review] YOON Salon: This Mummy’s Preferred Hair Salon appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

Cajun seafood boil is one of my favourite things to cook! Apart from fried rice, it is my ultimate clear fridge dish because ANYTHING tastes good with the old bay/cajun/garlic seasoning. Seafood works best of course!

I usually make this with lots of tiger prawns and I like to add spicy otah (otak-otak) chunks. Sometimes I cook a cod fish version but crustaceans always make this way yummier. If you’re cooking for kids, I suggest you scoop up a portion first before adding the old bay and cajun seasoning. This has worked well for Cbb and Cdd so far – I still get to cook my one-pot dish for the whole family without compromising on our spices. This was the cod version I made over the weekend:

If you’re not feeling pasta, you could always add potatoes, have this with rice, or even mop up with yummy gravy with some crusty bread. Enjoy!

The post Cajun Seafood Boil (and pasta in a pot!) appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

Baking is an activity we would ALL love to do with our kids (and they too, with us), but God, I *hate* the washing up. I know you’re like me, so here comes a recipe that only uses ONE bowl, a couple of spoons and a whisk/fork. No mixer required. No kidding!! Have fun with it!

Click here for more easy kids/baby food ideas: http://budgetpantry.com/category/baby-food/

The post Activity with Kids: One-bowl Chocolate Chip Cookies appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

One of cbb’s best food memories in Taiwan was the 白萝卜排骨汤 at Wang Ji Fu Cheng Rou Zong (王記府城肉粽). And one of mine is HER SPILLING THE ENTIRE BOWL OF HOT SOUP ON THE TABLE and we had to sheepishly clean up and order another.

Ever since that Taiwan trip, she has been bugging me to make this soup whenever she feels like having something light, tasty and sweet. And that’s what this soup is. I like adding spaghetti to this (no really, one of my fav dishes is spaghetti in clear soup) and Cbb likes hers with macaroni. Or you could always have it alongside a bowl of steaming hot rice. I hope you like this soup as much as we do!

The post White Radish Pork Rib Soup 白萝卜排骨汤 appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

Two weeks ago, I shared a post on Facebook about feeding my 9-month-old. So many moms have reached out to say NOW they don’t feel so guilty about not cooking for their babies from scratch, or not spending hours on making stock for porridge every day. And to me this is exactly what I hope my posts and blog articles can do for all of us: TAKE AWAY THE MOM GUILT.

Thank you for telling me this was what you really needed to read. If you’ve missed it, here’s the original post.

And now I have included a quick summary of the post, and added a few more tips on how to keep sane while making sure my baby still gets all the good stuff in him as much as possible. As a second-time mom, I have learnt a lot from my past experiences. I now find it possible – and more time-efficient – to do away with many things I used to do before, like steaming and blending baby food in a blender and freezing them in ice cube trays in advance. I don’t do these now, but if it works for you, why not?

I no longer use an electric blender, but I do find a manual baby food masher handy.

Top tips for feeding your baby:

• I don’t bother with stock. To cook porridge, simply scoop rice in a pot, add water and veg & meat and simmer till soft. Mash with a the back of a spoon (or use a manual baby food masher) to the consistency suitable for your baby. Of course, if you have some home made stock on hand, use it in place of water.
• Don’t make feeding your baby a chore for you. It shouldn’t be so hard! I just ensure there’s a carb, a protein, a fibre in each meal. Ok, sometimes, in at least one meal.
• Vegetables: fresh or frozen – doesn’t matter. I stock up on frozen carrots, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, squash and corn often. Sometimes they’re even better than the ‘fresh’ versions as they’re quick frozen (and nutrients preserved!) from source.
• Play around with different textures. If your baby rejects the peas today, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t like it. Try adding more liquid, or some breast milk or formula milk to alter the consistency. Sometimes, a familiar taste in the form of milk may make him more ready to accept new foods.
• Don’t fret if your baby hates that expensive fish that is supposed to be super good for him. Give an alternative protein – some other types of meat, a milder fish, eggs, or even beans?
• Stop trying to be ‘perfect’. Everyone has crazy days. Your baby will survive for one meal without having all the nutrients from the 3 food groups. On busy days where I just make it in time to cook dinner, I open a yummy baby food pouch and that’s it! Lots of goodies in those, too! There’s no need to feel any guilt over this.
• Try and reduce the number of appliances involved in making meals for your baby. I feel this is really important. Instead of setting up multiple contraptions and washing up the blender blades, jar, cover, etc and putting away the base, wires and more things, now I just use a pot and stove. Or airfry that fish in the nifty baking pan of my Philips Airfryer for easy clean up.
• Which brings me to my next point. You don’t need to make SPECIAL FOOD for your baby. The style or texture can be different, but the core ingredient should be the same as what the rest of your family eats. If we’re eating salmon today, my baby’s eating salmon today. If we’re having peppers and roasted potatoes with that salmon, my baby’s having the same – just in a softer texture suitable for him. Then what happens if I want to eat mala hot pot? It’s obvious my baby can’t eat it right? Yes, but what you can do is fry all the vegetables first, scoop up a portion for your baby, THEN add the mala spices. Problem solved.

So that’s it for now, I think!

I will update again if I think of something else that will make ALL our lives easier. Have fun exploring the many ways you can make eating fun for your little one!

The post Staying sane when introducing solids to your baby appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

I have been majorly neglecting my hair – thanks to a new baby and the fact that I have been working from home since my maternity leave ended in February. The new baby, by the way, isn’t so new anymore – he will be ONE next month! Where has the time gone? I guess I was wrong to think that working from home gives me a free pass to ignore my tresses because I don’t go out often anyway, but I forgot that my unruly locks, messy fringe (or what used to be a fringe) and faded highlights (and black roots) are revealing themselves in all their glory to my team in the daily video calls for work.

In a bid to refresh my look and get some down time, I was googling for salon recommendations and came across YOON, a salon with years of experience in Singapore helping customers combat their hair styling woes. The reviews look good, with many saying that the stylists are knowledgeable and experienced, and they were able to recommend the most appropriate and tailor-made services for them depending on their needs. I think that’s very important because sometimes what we need is a professional’s opinion. In other cases, sometimes we just need that little push from an expert to try something new! I noticed that the salon’s three outlets are pretty accessible too in Orchard, Queenstown and Chinatown.

Types Of Services Available at YOON Salon

Browsing the website, it isn’t difficult to see why everybody is recommending YOON. Their range of services are super extensive and include cut and blow, highlighting, colouring, perming, rebonding, and a range of specialised scalp and hair treatments. One thing I was surprised by was that they even specify that they cut for kids! Take a look at their variety of services – there’s bound to be one right for you:

Premium Creative Hair Shaping: Volume S-Curl and C-Curl Rebonding

I’m in desperate need of a cut but I’m also curious about their Volume S-Curl and C-Curl rebonding services. Volume rebonding is a really popular Korean treatment technique that combines the effects of rebonding + perm in one! Although I am a full-time working mum of two, I am still in tune with the latest trends ok, just that I haven’t had time to actually go do it. This Korean technique smooths your tresses without making them look unnaturally straight while introducing soft curls and volume at places you need it most. According to the website, the popular Volume S-Curl and C-Curl rebonding treatments help you achieve soft and natural-looking curls, and your mane will look more voluminous and become easier to manage and style after the session. Sounds like something that is right for me! I’ve never had any kind of perming or curling done before in my life. Maybe I’m finally ready to have natural-looking soft curls that don’t look over the top?

Premium Hair Treatment

Their treatment sessions seem to be waving at me too because although my hair is straight, it is dry and coarse in certain places and can be really difficult to manage. Most of the time it feels heavy and dull, and I feel that the frequent washing recently (two times a day at least – due to hygiene purposes I wash my hair whenever I return home after an errand or after dropping/picking up my girl from child care) has further affected the condition and quality in some way or another. I think it’s time for a treatment – I always walk out from a salon with much softer locks and greater confidence after a session! I’m looking forward to taming down the frizz, strengthening my roots and regaining strong, silky locks. They have listed five different types of treatment that they provide to restore your crowning glory to health, and frankly, I’m spoilt for choice! That being said, their Gloss Treatment sounds especially interesting to me and I think it would be extremely suitable for long hair like mine that goes past the shoulder blade. Can’t wait to try!

What Others Are Saying About YOON Salon

Having a dedicated and experienced team matters, and it shows in the salon’s customer reviews and testimonials:

YOON Salon Outlets & Opening Hours

Their outlets are open every day from 11am – 9pm (including Public Holidays!) so it’s really great for mummies like me who can only get out for some me-time when the husband is around, and that is during weekends and public holidays. To make your appointment, give the respective outlets a call or submit the form on their website or someone to get back to you.

• Midpoint Orchard:220 Orchard Road, #01-02, Midpoint Orchard, Singapore 238852
  (Tel: 6235 3816)
• Queensway Shopping Centre: 1 Queensway, #02-29, Singapore 149053
  (Tel: 6261 0913)
• Havelock II (Chinatown): 2 Havelock Road, #01-04, Havelock II, Singapore 059763
  (Tel: 6223 0224)

Being a mum to me means putting my kids first in every aspect of my life– so much so that I sometimes forget not only am I ‘Mummy’, I am Chris too. I haven’t had a proper hairstyling session done in a long time ($10 quick fringe cut at the shop across the road doesn’t count), and it’s important for mums to also spend time on ourselves, don’t you agree? :)

If you are a first-time customer too, don’t miss your chance to get a $28 trial that can be redeemed on their website. To get the trial, just click on the ‘Redeem‘ button on the top right corner, submit a form and a service staff will get back to you. This is a great way to try out or switch to a new salon because we all know it can be a little painful on the pocket when you spend to pamper yourself, only to end up with a look that is totally not you. With all that’s going on in the world, now’s truly the best time to try. Go!

This article was brought to you by YOON.

The post [Review] YOON Salon: This Mummy’s Preferred Hair Salon appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

Cajun seafood boil is one of my favourite things to cook! Apart from fried rice, it is my ultimate clear fridge dish because ANYTHING tastes good with the old bay/cajun/garlic seasoning. Seafood works best of course!

I usually make this with lots of tiger prawns and I like to add spicy otah (otak-otak) chunks. Sometimes I cook a cod fish version but crustaceans always make this way yummier. If you’re cooking for kids, I suggest you scoop up a portion first before adding the old bay and cajun seasoning. This has worked well for Cbb and Cdd so far – I still get to cook my one-pot dish for the whole family without compromising on our spices. This was the cod version I made over the weekend:

If you’re not feeling pasta, you could always add potatoes, have this with rice, or even mop up with yummy gravy with some crusty bread. Enjoy!

The post Cajun Seafood Boil (and pasta in a pot!) appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

Time has surely gone by in a flash. My tiny little baby is now one year old! Since Cbb days, I’ve made sure we go for photoshoots on her milestones, and of course a cake smash session for her first birthday was a must! Read this blog post for our experience with Ashley Low Photography during Cbb’s time. And now it is Cdd’s turn! Because we had such a great experience, we went back to Ashley’s studio again. This time, our photos were taken by Bloom Photography, the sister company of Ashley Low Photography who has been established since 2011.

It’s a new studio and brand founded in February 2020 by Ashley together with Bloom Photography’s Chief Photographer, Su Wen.

It was amazing that they planned three types of photography services for us on the day of the shoot: cake smash, family and milk bath! Let’s see the photos!!

Cake Smash

Before the shoot, we were sent a wide range of set-ups and themes for us to choose from. All the themes were super cute and we had a hard time deciding – but in the end we chose SUPERMAN!! We were also asked if we had any specifications for the cake, like does Cdd have any allergies, etc. As Cdd has mild eczema, we opted for less colouring just in case and our request was acceded to, no questions asked! Their cakes are all eggless, nutless and low in sugar to suit babies. All the props including the Superman outfit were provided, too.

Su Wen welcomed us on the day of the photoshoot, and she was super patient in trying to make Cdd smile! OMG really kudos to her. It was not an easy job for sure! For some reason, Cdd was extra cool that day and practically expressionless in the initial shots. I think this makes him super cute though haha. See my cool Superman!

Intruder alert!!

Cbb also got her wish of appearing in the cake smash shoot with didi. Haha.

Milk Bath

After the cake smash session, we did a milk bath shoot which was done with practically no mess. The change of setting was done as soon we cleaned up Cdd in the clean and spacious bathroom (read on for our experience!). And it is true, babies are still happiest when they play with water!

Family Shoot

We actually did this shoot first, and it makes sense because we all arrived in our coordinating outfits. Su Wen was great in prepping Cdd and gave us clear instructions on what to do during the shoot. Cbb, as usual, was a pro, so photogenic and always camera ready!

And this is my favourite photo of alllllll!

Our experience with Bloom Photography

From our initial contact till the end of the shoot (and photo delivery!), I have nothing but praises for Bloom Photography! It makes a difference when a professional photographer does your shoots as compared to someone who’s just starting out. I know, because for Cdd’s newborn shoot, we made the mistake of engaging an amateur photographer and it was a real disaster. Because of that, we missed out on documenting Cdd’s newborn moments, and this is something I truly regret. Don’t make the same mistake I did!

Bloom Photography was professional from the start and led us through the entire process. Once we decided to go for the cake smash shoot, they sent us a range of themes to choose from. And boy, there was a lot! Sailor, safari, pilot, camping, Batman – we were really spoilt for choice. Read more about their cake smash sessions and check out some of their themes (they have a lot more so ask them!!):

We were given advice on how to prep Cdd before the day of the shoot, and their studio is really well-equipped! Their play area with filled with toys – perfect for making Cdd less nervous for sure.

Apart from the play area, they also had a clean changing room with mirror for us – essential for me to check on my makeup and ensure my outfit was in place! They’re also super thoughtful – all we need to do was to show up. The cake smash outfit and all props were provided. We didn’t have to worry about dealing with dirty clothes with cake because they took care of it for us. After the cake smash session, we simply brought Cdd to their studio bathroom, which was all stocked with baby body wash, shampoo, a bathtub, hot water – you name it. We didn’t have to worry about a thing!

And of course, the chief photographer, Su Wen was a total gem who has her way with babies and kids. We laughed so much during the session – it was so enjoyable for us. And as you can see, the photo quality is fantastic! She’s a real pro! Look at some behind-the-scenes of Su Wen in action:

So if you ask me to recommend a photography studio in Singapore, I will without a doubt recommend Bloom Photography. Contact them to check on rates and availability. Thank you, Bloom Photography, for documenting our journey!

Bloom Photography

Website: https://www.bloomphotography.sg
Facebook: http://facebook.com/bloomphotographysg
Instagram: https://instagram.com/bloomphotographysingapore
Email: info@bloomphotography.sg
Phone: +65 6443 3953 / 9640 3774

The post Bloom Photography Review: Baby Cake Smash Singapore appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

I won’t claim that I am very savvy when it comes to money matters, but I am interested in getting more value for my savings. Recently, I discovered the benefits of traded endowment policies (TEPs), also known as resale endowment policies. Learn more about them here!

Being a little late to the game when it comes to learning about investing, I am naturally cautious and risk-adverse, perhaps like many of you. One thing’s for sure: I was sick of parking my hard-earned money in fixed deposits which give a measly 0.25-1% per year and that is if I lock-in at least $25k for three years. I also read up on Singapore Savings Bonds, but October’s interest rates are even lower at 0.23% for the first year and up to 0.91% in the 10th year, meaning I will get a grand total of $91 interest over ten years if I invest $1k and hold it to maturity.

So I started looking around for short-term, high-interest savings plans and came across the term traded endowment policies on Seedly, Singapore’s biggest personal finance community. The company that I got in touch with to find out more was PolicyWoke, and I highly recommend them to everyone. Find out why!

But first things first, what are Traded Endowment Policies?

Have you heard of endowment policies from insurance companies? Yes, policies where you pay a certain amount for x number of years and upon maturity, you will get the guaranteed portion and a non-guaranteed portion.

Traded endowment policies, also known as resale endowment policies, are ‘second-hand’ policies that an original policy owner gives up for sale in the secondary market. There are many reasons why people give up an endowment policy, and some of them include being unable to service the premiums or identifying other investment tools that work better for them.

But when they surrender these policies back to their insurance company, the amount they get back will be much lower than the premiums they have paid. This is where PolicyWoke comes in. They are a resale insurance broker that offers you up to 10% above surrender value for your policies. So instead of surrendering your policy back to the insurance company, sell it to PolicyWoke for up to 10% more in cash.

I didn’t sell my policy to them, but I did buy one that fits my needs. Read on!

Why did I consider traded endowment policies instead of regular fixed deposits or other forms of investments? 

Let me start off by saying that I believe in insurance products and financial planning. There are many products in the market and what’s important is getting those that work for you, not based on what others are getting. So that means getting something that fits our savings goals.

Fixed deposits used to be one of my forms of investments. But fixed deposit rates are now really low. Imagine putting in $100k for three years at 1% interest a year. That’s just $1k interest on $100k per year! In comparison, TEPs could offer up to 4.6% IRR (Internal Rate of Return, i.e., the annual rate of growth an investment is expected to generate) and there’s always a guaranteed portion in the policy benefits – and this guaranteed portion doesn’t decrease – it is guaranteed legally, and you will get this amount from the insurance company at maturity for sure. The non-guaranteed portion/bonus depends on how the funds are performing.

For my situation, I had some spare cash after setting aside at least six months of my pay and topping up my CPF. So, instead of letting it sit in the bank or dabbling in high-risk alternatives, I decided to look into TEPs that give me higher returns in a shorter time.

Let me try and explain how this whole process works.

Scenario:

The original policy owner, John, purchased a 12-year endowment policy from an insurance company where he had to pay $7k a year for 7 years, and the funds will be held for 5 years before he gets to enjoy his savings in year 12. However from the 5th year onwards, he could no longer continue paying the premium as he had lost his job. There were 3 years left to pay. He decided to surrender his policy and get back some cash. Instead of surrendering it back to the insurance company, he decided to sell it to PolicyWoke for up to 10% above surrender value.

This is where I come in. By taking over John’s policy, I will only need to continue the premium for the next 3 years instead of paying for 7 years if I had gotten the policy from scratch, as John had already paid for 4 years. Taking over John’s policy means instead of waiting 12 years, I get the funds in a much shorter time. Think of it as putting x amount of money in a high interest fixed deposit for x number of years. For the policy I got, the guaranteed portion is more than the total amount I would be paying. So even in a super worst-case scenario like a financial crisis or market crash, I would still be getting back more than what I paid in the first place. But always read the policy benefit illustration to understand the product you’re buying.

Is this legal?

MAS does not regulate intermediaries nor distributors of TEPs. Throughout the process, no new insurance policies are created. PolicyWoke is simply an intermediary that connects sellers (John, who can no longer service the policy) with buyers (me, who’s looking for higher interest savings in a shorter time) and facilitates the policy assignment process.

Assignment of policy means the transfer of rights and benefits from one person to another and you (the Assignor) can transfer your policy to someone else (the Assignee) for various reasons. Once the rights have been transferred, the rights of the original policy owner terminates, and the assignee becomes the owner of the insurance policy. Read more about Assignment of Policy on Prudential’s website.

The pros and cons of traded endowment policies

One of the advantages is that you don’t need to wait the entire policy tenure like 15, 20 years before you get your funds at maturity as someone else had already paid for the first few years. Depending on what’s on offer, there could be policies that mature in 6-8 years – and you get a much higher interest rate as compared to fixed deposits or bonds. They’re essentially short-term, high interest-savings plans.

For me, there are not a lot of downsides to this. One of them is that these policies are as-is. Apart from changing the payment method or frequency (pay half-yearly or yearly, for example), you can’t make many changes to the policy structure or re-look the premium amount and term as these are pre-owned policies.

Why PolicyWoke?

I got to know about PolicyWoke from Seedly’s Facebook group. They’re familiar faces and very active in the community. In other words, I’m convinced they won’t take my money and run. That’s a fact – reputation is important. Not only that, they’re very responsive and any questions I had were always almost immediately answered via WhatsApp. They’re super transparent and not once in our online meetings or WhatsApp messages was there any form of hard selling. In fact, I only contacted them via Facebook messenger because I wished to know more about this whole concept (wasn’t even considering buying yet!) and they immediately replied and asked if it was ok to set up a WhatsApp group. From there, we had an online meeting for me to ask all the questions I wanted.

Know more about Jimmy, Ethan and David here – their faces are there so you know they’re real people and not hiding behind some mega organisation. Their founder, Ethan, is an Associate Financial Planner certified by Financial Planning Association of Singapore and I can vouch that he knows his stuff!

One more thing I really like about them is that they publish the actual policy benefit illustrations clearly on their website. These are the benefits table that you may be familiar with as it comes with your insurance policies. So I could make my own decisions based on the actual document from the insurance company – it’s not something they made up themselves.

After I decided to get a policy and made payment (they accept payment through PayNow Corporate, FAST and credit card through TransferWise), we met up at the insurer’s customer service centre two days later and the paperwork for the policy assignment was done in 20 minutes over the counter. 4 working days later, the complete assignment process was complete, and I was the new policy owner.

Questions?

Feel free to ask me about my experience or get in touch with PolicyWoke:

Website: https://www.policywoke.com/
Email: jedi@policywoke.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PolicyWoke
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PolicyWoke
Telegram: https://t.me/PolicyWoke

The post PolicyWoke Review: Earn higher interest for your savings with traded endowment policies appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

Two weeks ago, I shared a post on Facebook about feeding my 9-month-old. So many moms have reached out to say NOW they don’t feel so guilty about not cooking for their babies from scratch, or not spending hours on making stock for porridge every day. And to me this is exactly what I hope my posts and blog articles can do for all of us: TAKE AWAY THE MOM GUILT.

Thank you for telling me this was what you really needed to read. If you’ve missed it, here’s the original post.

And now I have included a quick summary of the post, and added a few more tips on how to keep sane while making sure my baby still gets all the good stuff in him as much as possible. As a second-time mom, I have learnt a lot from my past experiences. I now find it possible – and more time-efficient – to do away with many things I used to do before, like steaming and blending baby food in a blender and freezing them in ice cube trays in advance. I don’t do these now, but if it works for you, why not?

I no longer use an electric blender, but I do find a manual baby food masher handy.

Top tips for feeding your baby:

• I don’t bother with stock. To cook porridge, simply scoop rice in a pot, add water and veg & meat and simmer till soft. Mash with a the back of a spoon (or use a manual baby food masher) to the consistency suitable for your baby. Of course, if you have some home made stock on hand, use it in place of water.
• Don’t make feeding your baby a chore for you. It shouldn’t be so hard! I just ensure there’s a carb, a protein, a fibre in each meal. Ok, sometimes, in at least one meal.
• Vegetables: fresh or frozen – doesn’t matter. I stock up on frozen carrots, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, squash and corn often. Sometimes they’re even better than the ‘fresh’ versions as they’re quick frozen (and nutrients preserved!) from source.
• Play around with different textures. If your baby rejects the peas today, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t like it. Try adding more liquid, or some breast milk or formula milk to alter the consistency. Sometimes, a familiar taste in the form of milk may make him more ready to accept new foods.
• Don’t fret if your baby hates that expensive fish that is supposed to be super good for him. Give an alternative protein – some other types of meat, a milder fish, eggs, or even beans?
• Stop trying to be ‘perfect’. Everyone has crazy days. Your baby will survive for one meal without having all the nutrients from the 3 food groups. On busy days where I just make it in time to cook dinner, I open a yummy baby food pouch and that’s it! Lots of goodies in those, too! There’s no need to feel any guilt over this.
• Try and reduce the number of appliances involved in making meals for your baby. I feel this is really important. Instead of setting up multiple contraptions and washing up the blender blades, jar, cover, etc and putting away the base, wires and more things, now I just use a pot and stove. Or airfry that fish in the nifty baking pan of my Philips Airfryer for easy clean up.
• Which brings me to my next point. You don’t need to make SPECIAL FOOD for your baby. The style or texture can be different, but the core ingredient should be the same as what the rest of your family eats. If we’re eating salmon today, my baby’s eating salmon today. If we’re having peppers and roasted potatoes with that salmon, my baby’s having the same – just in a softer texture suitable for him. Then what happens if I want to eat mala hot pot? It’s obvious my baby can’t eat it right? Yes, but what you can do is fry all the vegetables first, scoop up a portion for your baby, THEN add the mala spices. Problem solved.

So that’s it for now, I think!

I will update again if I think of something else that will make ALL our lives easier. Have fun exploring the many ways you can make eating fun for your little one!

The post Staying sane when introducing solids to your baby appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

I have been majorly neglecting my hair – thanks to a new baby and the fact that I have been working from home since my maternity leave ended in February. The new baby, by the way, isn’t so new anymore – he will be ONE next month! Where has the time gone? I guess I was wrong to think that working from home gives me a free pass to ignore my tresses because I don’t go out often anyway, but I forgot that my unruly locks, messy fringe (or what used to be a fringe) and faded highlights (and black roots) are revealing themselves in all their glory to my team in the daily video calls for work.

In a bid to refresh my look and get some down time, I was googling for salon recommendations and came across YOON, a salon with years of experience in Singapore helping customers combat their hair styling woes. The reviews look good, with many saying that the stylists are knowledgeable and experienced, and they were able to recommend the most appropriate and tailor-made services for them depending on their needs. I think that’s very important because sometimes what we need is a professional’s opinion. In other cases, sometimes we just need that little push from an expert to try something new! I noticed that the salon’s three outlets are pretty accessible too in Orchard, Queenstown and Chinatown.

Types Of Services Available at YOON Salon

Browsing the website, it isn’t difficult to see why everybody is recommending YOON. Their range of services are super extensive and include cut and blow, highlighting, colouring, perming, rebonding, and a range of specialised scalp and hair treatments. One thing I was surprised by was that they even specify that they cut for kids! Take a look at their variety of services – there’s bound to be one right for you:

Premium Creative Hair Shaping: Volume S-Curl and C-Curl Rebonding

I’m in desperate need of a cut but I’m also curious about their Volume S-Curl and C-Curl rebonding services. Volume rebonding is a really popular Korean treatment technique that combines the effects of rebonding + perm in one! Although I am a full-time working mum of two, I am still in tune with the latest trends ok, just that I haven’t had time to actually go do it. This Korean technique smooths your tresses without making them look unnaturally straight while introducing soft curls and volume at places you need it most. According to the website, the popular Volume S-Curl and C-Curl rebonding treatments help you achieve soft and natural-looking curls, and your mane will look more voluminous and become easier to manage and style after the session. Sounds like something that is right for me! I’ve never had any kind of perming or curling done before in my life. Maybe I’m finally ready to have natural-looking soft curls that don’t look over the top?

Premium Hair Treatment

Their treatment sessions seem to be waving at me too because although my hair is straight, it is dry and coarse in certain places and can be really difficult to manage. Most of the time it feels heavy and dull, and I feel that the frequent washing recently (two times a day at least – due to hygiene purposes I wash my hair whenever I return home after an errand or after dropping/picking up my girl from child care) has further affected the condition and quality in some way or another. I think it’s time for a treatment – I always walk out from a salon with much softer locks and greater confidence after a session! I’m looking forward to taming down the frizz, strengthening my roots and regaining strong, silky locks. They have listed five different types of treatment that they provide to restore your crowning glory to health, and frankly, I’m spoilt for choice! That being said, their Gloss Treatment sounds especially interesting to me and I think it would be extremely suitable for long hair like mine that goes past the shoulder blade. Can’t wait to try!

What Others Are Saying About YOON Salon

Having a dedicated and experienced team matters, and it shows in the salon’s customer reviews and testimonials:

YOON Salon Outlets & Opening Hours

Their outlets are open every day from 11am – 9pm (including Public Holidays!) so it’s really great for mummies like me who can only get out for some me-time when the husband is around, and that is during weekends and public holidays. To make your appointment, give the respective outlets a call or submit the form on their website or someone to get back to you.

• Midpoint Orchard:220 Orchard Road, #01-02, Midpoint Orchard, Singapore 238852
  (Tel: 6235 3816)
• Queensway Shopping Centre: 1 Queensway, #02-29, Singapore 149053
  (Tel: 6261 0913)
• Havelock II (Chinatown): 2 Havelock Road, #01-04, Havelock II, Singapore 059763
  (Tel: 6223 0224)

Being a mum to me means putting my kids first in every aspect of my life– so much so that I sometimes forget not only am I ‘Mummy’, I am Chris too. I haven’t had a proper hairstyling session done in a long time ($10 quick fringe cut at the shop across the road doesn’t count), and it’s important for mums to also spend time on ourselves, don’t you agree? :)

If you are a first-time customer too, don’t miss your chance to get a $28 trial that can be redeemed on their website. To get the trial, just click on the ‘Redeem‘ button on the top right corner, submit a form and a service staff will get back to you. This is a great way to try out or switch to a new salon because we all know it can be a little painful on the pocket when you spend to pamper yourself, only to end up with a look that is totally not you. With all that’s going on in the world, now’s truly the best time to try. Go!

This article was brought to you by YOON.

The post [Review] YOON Salon: This Mummy’s Preferred Hair Salon appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

Cajun seafood boil is one of my favourite things to cook! Apart from fried rice, it is my ultimate clear fridge dish because ANYTHING tastes good with the old bay/cajun/garlic seasoning. Seafood works best of course!

I usually make this with lots of tiger prawns and I like to add spicy otah (otak-otak) chunks. Sometimes I cook a cod fish version but crustaceans always make this way yummier. If you’re cooking for kids, I suggest you scoop up a portion first before adding the old bay and cajun seasoning. This has worked well for Cbb and Cdd so far – I still get to cook my one-pot dish for the whole family without compromising on our spices. This was the cod version I made over the weekend:

If you’re not feeling pasta, you could always add potatoes, have this with rice, or even mop up with yummy gravy with some crusty bread. Enjoy!

The post Cajun Seafood Boil (and pasta in a pot!) appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

Time has surely gone by in a flash. My tiny little baby is now one year old! Since Cbb days, I’ve made sure we go for photoshoots on her milestones, and of course a cake smash session for her first birthday was a must! Read this blog post for our experience with Ashley Low Photography during Cbb’s time. And now it is Cdd’s turn! Because we had such a great experience, we went back to Ashley’s studio again. This time, our photos were taken by Bloom Photography, the sister company of Ashley Low Photography who has been established since 2011.

It’s a new studio and brand founded in February 2020 by Ashley together with Bloom Photography’s Chief Photographer, Su Wen.

It was amazing that they planned three types of photography services for us on the day of the shoot: cake smash, family and milk bath! Let’s see the photos!!

Cake Smash

Before the shoot, we were sent a wide range of set-ups and themes for us to choose from. All the themes were super cute and we had a hard time deciding – but in the end we chose SUPERMAN!! We were also asked if we had any specifications for the cake, like does Cdd have any allergies, etc. As Cdd has mild eczema, we opted for less colouring just in case and our request was acceded to, no questions asked! Their cakes are all eggless, nutless and low in sugar to suit babies. All the props including the Superman outfit were provided, too.

Su Wen welcomed us on the day of the photoshoot, and she was super patient in trying to make Cdd smile! OMG really kudos to her. It was not an easy job for sure! For some reason, Cdd was extra cool that day and practically expressionless in the initial shots. I think this makes him super cute though haha. See my cool Superman!

Intruder alert!!

Cbb also got her wish of appearing in the cake smash shoot with didi. Haha.

Milk Bath

After the cake smash session, we did a milk bath shoot which was done with practically no mess. The change of setting was done as soon we cleaned up Cdd in the clean and spacious bathroom (read on for our experience!). And it is true, babies are still happiest when they play with water!

Family Shoot

We actually did this shoot first, and it makes sense because we all arrived in our coordinating outfits. Su Wen was great in prepping Cdd and gave us clear instructions on what to do during the shoot. Cbb, as usual, was a pro, so photogenic and always camera ready!

And this is my favourite photo of alllllll!

Our experience with Bloom Photography

From our initial contact till the end of the shoot (and photo delivery!), I have nothing but praises for Bloom Photography! It makes a difference when a professional photographer does your shoots as compared to someone who’s just starting out. I know, because for Cdd’s newborn shoot, we made the mistake of engaging an amateur photographer and it was a real disaster. Because of that, we missed out on documenting Cdd’s newborn moments, and this is something I truly regret. Don’t make the same mistake I did!

Bloom Photography was professional from the start and led us through the entire process. Once we decided to go for the cake smash shoot, they sent us a range of themes to choose from. And boy, there was a lot! Sailor, safari, pilot, camping, Batman – we were really spoilt for choice. Read more about their cake smash sessions and check out some of their themes (they have a lot more so ask them!!):

We were given advice on how to prep Cdd before the day of the shoot, and their studio is really well-equipped! Their play area with filled with toys – perfect for making Cdd less nervous for sure.

Apart from the play area, they also had a clean changing room with mirror for us – essential for me to check on my makeup and ensure my outfit was in place! They’re also super thoughtful – all we need to do was to show up. The cake smash outfit and all props were provided. We didn’t have to worry about dealing with dirty clothes with cake because they took care of it for us. After the cake smash session, we simply brought Cdd to their studio bathroom, which was all stocked with baby body wash, shampoo, a bathtub, hot water – you name it. We didn’t have to worry about a thing!

And of course, the chief photographer, Su Wen was a total gem who has her way with babies and kids. We laughed so much during the session – it was so enjoyable for us. And as you can see, the photo quality is fantastic! She’s a real pro! Look at some behind-the-scenes of Su Wen in action:

So if you ask me to recommend a photography studio in Singapore, I will without a doubt recommend Bloom Photography. Contact them to check on rates and availability. Thank you, Bloom Photography, for documenting our journey!

Bloom Photography

Website: https://www.bloomphotography.sg
Facebook: http://facebook.com/bloomphotographysg
Instagram: https://instagram.com/bloomphotographysingapore
Email: info@bloomphotography.sg
Phone: +65 6443 3953 / 9640 3774

The post Bloom Photography Review: Baby Cake Smash Singapore appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

I won’t claim that I am very savvy when it comes to money matters, but I am interested in getting more value for my savings. Recently, I discovered the benefits of traded endowment policies (TEPs), also known as resale endowment policies. Learn more about them here!

Being a little late to the game when it comes to learning about investing, I am naturally cautious and risk-adverse, perhaps like many of you. One thing’s for sure: I was sick of parking my hard-earned money in fixed deposits which give a measly 0.25-1% per year and that is if I lock-in at least $25k for three years. I also read up on Singapore Savings Bonds, but October’s interest rates are even lower at 0.23% for the first year and up to 0.91% in the 10th year, meaning I will get a grand total of $91 interest over ten years if I invest $1k and hold it to maturity.

So I started looking around for short-term, high-interest savings plans and came across the term traded endowment policies on Seedly, Singapore’s biggest personal finance community. The company that I got in touch with to find out more was PolicyWoke, and I highly recommend them to everyone. Find out why!

But first things first, what are Traded Endowment Policies?

Have you heard of endowment policies from insurance companies? Yes, policies where you pay a certain amount for x number of years and upon maturity, you will get the guaranteed portion and a non-guaranteed portion.

Traded endowment policies, also known as resale endowment policies, are ‘second-hand’ policies that an original policy owner gives up for sale in the secondary market. There are many reasons why people give up an endowment policy, and some of them include being unable to service the premiums or identifying other investment tools that work better for them.

But when they surrender these policies back to their insurance company, the amount they get back will be much lower than the premiums they have paid. This is where PolicyWoke comes in. They are a resale insurance broker that offers you up to 10% above surrender value for your policies. So instead of surrendering your policy back to the insurance company, sell it to PolicyWoke for up to 10% more in cash.

I didn’t sell my policy to them, but I did buy one that fits my needs. Read on!

Why did I consider traded endowment policies instead of regular fixed deposits or other forms of investments? 

Let me start off by saying that I believe in insurance products and financial planning. There are many products in the market and what’s important is getting those that work for you, not based on what others are getting. So that means getting something that fits our savings goals.

Fixed deposits used to be one of my forms of investments. But fixed deposit rates are now really low. Imagine putting in $100k for three years at 1% interest a year. That’s just $1k interest on $100k per year! In comparison, TEPs could offer up to 4.6% IRR (Internal Rate of Return, i.e., the annual rate of growth an investment is expected to generate) and there’s always a guaranteed portion in the policy benefits – and this guaranteed portion doesn’t decrease – it is guaranteed legally, and you will get this amount from the insurance company at maturity for sure. The non-guaranteed portion/bonus depends on how the funds are performing.

For my situation, I had some spare cash after setting aside at least six months of my pay and topping up my CPF. So, instead of letting it sit in the bank or dabbling in high-risk alternatives, I decided to look into TEPs that give me higher returns in a shorter time.

Let me try and explain how this whole process works.

Scenario:

The original policy owner, John, purchased a 12-year endowment policy from an insurance company where he had to pay $7k a year for 7 years, and the funds will be held for 5 years before he gets to enjoy his savings in year 12. However from the 5th year onwards, he could no longer continue paying the premium as he had lost his job. There were 3 years left to pay. He decided to surrender his policy and get back some cash. Instead of surrendering it back to the insurance company, he decided to sell it to PolicyWoke for up to 10% above surrender value.

This is where I come in. By taking over John’s policy, I will only need to continue the premium for the next 3 years instead of paying for 7 years if I had gotten the policy from scratch, as John had already paid for 4 years. Taking over John’s policy means instead of waiting 12 years, I get the funds in a much shorter time. Think of it as putting x amount of money in a high interest fixed deposit for x number of years. For the policy I got, the guaranteed portion is more than the total amount I would be paying. So even in a super worst-case scenario like a financial crisis or market crash, I would still be getting back more than what I paid in the first place. But always read the policy benefit illustration to understand the product you’re buying.

Is this legal?

MAS does not regulate intermediaries nor distributors of TEPs. Throughout the process, no new insurance policies are created. PolicyWoke is simply an intermediary that connects sellers (John, who can no longer service the policy) with buyers (me, who’s looking for higher interest savings in a shorter time) and facilitates the policy assignment process.

Assignment of policy means the transfer of rights and benefits from one person to another and you (the Assignor) can transfer your policy to someone else (the Assignee) for various reasons. Once the rights have been transferred, the rights of the original policy owner terminates, and the assignee becomes the owner of the insurance policy. Read more about Assignment of Policy on Prudential’s website.

The pros and cons of traded endowment policies

One of the advantages is that you don’t need to wait the entire policy tenure like 15, 20 years before you get your funds at maturity as someone else had already paid for the first few years. Depending on what’s on offer, there could be policies that mature in 6-8 years – and you get a much higher interest rate as compared to fixed deposits or bonds. They’re essentially short-term, high interest-savings plans.

For me, there are not a lot of downsides to this. One of them is that these policies are as-is. Apart from changing the payment method or frequency (pay half-yearly or yearly, for example), you can’t make many changes to the policy structure or re-look the premium amount and term as these are pre-owned policies.

Why PolicyWoke?

I got to know about PolicyWoke from Seedly’s Facebook group. They’re familiar faces and very active in the community. In other words, I’m convinced they won’t take my money and run. That’s a fact – reputation is important. Not only that, they’re very responsive and any questions I had were always almost immediately answered via WhatsApp. They’re super transparent and not once in our online meetings or WhatsApp messages was there any form of hard selling. In fact, I only contacted them via Facebook messenger because I wished to know more about this whole concept (wasn’t even considering buying yet!) and they immediately replied and asked if it was ok to set up a WhatsApp group. From there, we had an online meeting for me to ask all the questions I wanted.

Know more about Jimmy, Ethan and David here – their faces are there so you know they’re real people and not hiding behind some mega organisation. Their founder, Ethan, is an Associate Financial Planner certified by Financial Planning Association of Singapore and I can vouch that he knows his stuff!

One more thing I really like about them is that they publish the actual policy benefit illustrations clearly on their website. These are the benefits table that you may be familiar with as it comes with your insurance policies. So I could make my own decisions based on the actual document from the insurance company – it’s not something they made up themselves.

After I decided to get a policy and made payment (they accept payment through PayNow Corporate, FAST and credit card through TransferWise), we met up at the insurer’s customer service centre two days later and the paperwork for the policy assignment was done in 20 minutes over the counter. 4 working days later, the complete assignment process was complete, and I was the new policy owner.

Questions?

Feel free to ask me about my experience or get in touch with PolicyWoke:

Website: https://www.policywoke.com/
Email: jedi@policywoke.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PolicyWoke
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PolicyWoke
Telegram: https://t.me/PolicyWoke

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